Driving-chain.



A. BRAMPTON &' G; WADHAMS. DRIVING CHAIN. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1914.

1,090,380, PatentedMar. 17, 1914.

' to the driving wheel surface, 2'. e.

THUR-BRAMPTON AND GEORGE WAIDHAMS, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

DRIVING-CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914:

Application filed January 9,1914. Serial 0. 811,238.

- To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it'known that we, ARTHUR BRAMPTON and GEORGE l/VADHAMs, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Oliver Street Works, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented a new and useful Driving-Chain; and we do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention comprises improvements in driving chains, and refers to that class of such which are constructed with elastic or slightly extensible links; such chains being particularly adapted for absorbin shocks ue to the engine ex losions in motor cycles or other vehicles wit out transmitting them and thereby avoiding liability of fracture of the chain; though being applicable for a variety of other purposes as in mill gearing with a pulsating load, the object of the present invention being to provide an improved chain of: this kind.-

According to this invention every alternate pair or a less number of adjacent pintles are connected together by a spring member embracing the said pintles; the said spring member also making contact with the sprocket teeth and thus taking the place of the roller or the block usually employed for this purpose.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chain with a sprocket wheel shown in engagement. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the chain. Fig. 3 is a.

sect onal elevation of same. Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of link. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a modified formof the invention. Fig. 6 is a plan of same, and Fig. 7 shows a sectional elevation.

In carrying this invention into practice as shown upon the accompanying drawings at Figs. 1 to 3 the chain includes pintles 1 having reduced ends 2, adjacent pintles being connected bycheck plates 3 having holes 45 for receiving the portion of the pintle of the larger diameter, these holes being drilled; slightly larger than the pintles or otherwise shaped so as to permit a limited movement in the direction of the length of the chain between the pintles and the check plates. The connected pintles and check plates are connected together by outer plates 5 which have suitable holes through which the reduced extremities 2 of the pintles are forming the wearing. .1.2,---1-3- secured to the The liner or bush 6 is of course locatedintermediate between the tle. The extremities S the wearing surface 2'. e. gages with the teeth of the sprocket wheel 10 when the chain is in use, and it will be obvious that a sudden increase in the driving force such. as rapid acceleration ofthe engine or suddenincrease in the load will not be transmitted direct to the driven or driving member but will be absorbed by the slight extension permitted in the chain.

spring and the pinof the spring'form the part which en- At Fig. 4 a slightly modified form of the invention is shown in which the C strengthened by the addition of two plates and forming therewith a laminated. spring glvlng lncreased strength. In both the forms of the invention previously described spring by a rivet 14' spring is the teeth 15 of the sprocket wheel may pass between two spring connected pintles, the .pitch of the chain. corresponding with the pitch of the gear wheel.

At Figs. 5-7 a further form of the invent-ion is block type in which two pintles and their connecting members pass between adjacent teeth of the sprocket wheel. The check plates 3 are connected to the pintles in similar manner to above described but instead of employing a spring of 'C-shape, a spring 16 after the form of a .figure 3 is used, this spring being provided with a liner 17 formed in two parts located between the interior of the spring and the pintles, .these two parts of the liner separating when the chain stretches. A felt pad 18 may be provided within the spring for containing lubricant. In this form of chain the spring link again forms the wearing surface.

What we claim then is:-

1. In a driving chain, the combination of a pair of pintles; a pair of inner check plates each having a pair of holes for receivshown applied to a chain for the substantially as set forth.

ing said pintles, the holes being of a greater size than the pintles, said plates connecting said pair of pintles together but allowing slight relative movement in the direction of .5 the length of the chain and a spring extending between the pintles having its extremities embracing said intles and serving to normally retain the pmtles at their minimum pitch or distance apart, but permitting them 10 to separate to the maximum pitch allowed by the check plates under abnormal loads or shocks, the said spring forming the contacting part which is engaged by the teeth of the sprocket wheel when the chain is in use;

2. In a driving chain, the combination of a pair of pintles; a pair of inner check plates each havlng a pa1r of holes for receivingsaid pintles, the holes being of a greater size than the'pintles, said plates connecting said pair of pintles together but allowing slight relative movement in the direction of the length of the chain; a spring extending between the pintles having its extremities embracing said pintles and serving to normally retain the pintles at their minimum pitch or distance apart, but permitting them to separate to the maximum pitch allowed by the check plates under abnormal loads or shocks;

so the said spring forming the contacting part which is engaged by the teeth of the sprocket wheel when the chain is in use; and a hardened steel liner located intermediate between the interior of each of the springs and pintles; substantially as set forth.

3. In a driving chain the combination of a pair of pintles; a pair of inner check plates each having a pair of holes for receiving said piiftles, the holes being of a greater size than the pintles, said plates connecting said pair of pintles together but allowing slight relative movement in the direction of the length of the chain; a spring of substantially serving to normally retain the between the pintles and pintles at their minimum pitchor distance apart, but permitting them to separate to the maxi- C shape extending mum pitch allowed by the check plates under each having a pa1r of holes for receiving said pintles, the holes being of a greater size than the pintles, said plates connecting said pair of pintles together but allowing slight relative movement in the direction of the length of the chain; a spring of substantially C shape extending between the pintles and serving to normally retain the pintles at their minimum pitch or distance apart, but

permitting them to separate to the maximum pitch allowed by the check plates under abnormal loads or shocks; extensions of the spring embracing the pintles and adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the sprocket wheel when the chain is in use; a hardened steel liner located intermediate between the interior of each of the springs and the pintles; and a supplemental spring member securedto the said O shaped spring and form-' in therewith a laminated spring member; su stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR BRAMPTON. GEORGE WADHAMS.

Witnesses:

HAROLD J. HoRREsTER, HUGO BARTON. 

